Connect Facts. Eligibility / Target Users. Benefits For Hotels. Data Security Issues. Hotel Registration. Forecast Publishing.

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2 Table of Contents Connect Facts Eligibility / Target Users Benefits For Hotels Data Security Issues Hotel Registration Forecast Publishing Request Handling ebook / Distribution Links / Downloads Contact Ticentral.com Connect Info Kit Page: 1 of 12

3 Connect Facts Connect Objective Ticentral.com establishes a global online meeting point for hotels and travel industry employees for the purpose of generating room reservations at special travel industry discounted rates. By providing an interactive open forum, hotels are enabled to publish discount availability forecasts, according to which industry employees can compile and forward booking requests. Once this interaction results in a reservation, both the hotel and the industry employee have gained a strong benefit through the usage of ticentral.com! Stress-Free Usage No Room Inventory Maintenance Naturally, the travel industry target market does not represent the most important group of potential guests for hotels. For this reason, the entire connect module has been developed to provide hotels with a complete stress-free system, leaving the system update frequency up to the hotel s interest and, ultimately, up to the volume of feedback / reservations the hotel receives. There is no need to maintain a room inventory on the system! No Agency Service = No Commission Ticentral.com does not operate a travel agency service, neither it represents a real-time booking engine. Due to the non-commissionable nature of travel industry rates, hotels are enabled to directly sell those rates to the end user without any cost. This way, hotels can avoid diverting promotion through external agencies or static directory services, which create additional work and expenses due to the necessary handling of inquiries via phone, fax, or . The generation of normal rate bookings, for which a service fee is due, remains voluntary for participating hotels. Free Usage The ticentral.com CONNECT module is a free service for hotels. There are no signup fees and/or fees for selling travel industry discount rates. A service fee of less than 5% is due only if the hotel generates bookings at normal rate level. It is up to the individual hotel, however, to accept bookings at normal rate level and service fee payments can be simply avoided by not accepting booking requests featuring also normal rate days. Short-Term Focus / Long-Term Advance Capability Ticentral.com CONNECT s functionality focuses mostly, but not solely, on short-term vacancies of hotels knowing for sure, that they will not be able to sell out one or more upcoming days / weeks. Publishing an availability forecast for the same night, next day, next weekend, or next month will trigger booking requests from interested travel industry employees, which then can be confirmed or denied by the hotel. Confirmation will generate a non-guaranteed booking. (Required latest arrival time after which the hotel is free to sell the room if the guest does not arrive). Guaranteed bookings can still be achieved via direct customer contact initiated by the ebook option. Requirements Ticentral.com is a 100% web-based system and can be accessed / maintained from where ever Internet access is available. There is no need to install any software in order to use ticentral.com. For the startup version of ticentral.com it is required to access the system with a windows version of Microsoft's Internet Explorer Web Browser Version 6.0 or higher. In addition, security settings have to allow the use of JavaScript, as this programming language has been used extensively to achieve best possible user friendliness. Ticentral.com Connect Info Kit Page: 2 of 12

4 Eligibility / Target Users Creating An Extended Global Target Group While ticentral.com is supplying hotels with a free online tool to manage their travel industry rate handling, the system is, on the other end, reaching out to the humongous group of travel industry employees on a global basis. Offering scalable eligibility settings to hotels, ticentral.com is creating a global pool of travel industry related employees, out of which hotels can easily generate reservations in times of need. Point of Verification The point of eligibility verification remains unchanged compared to current global travel industry customs. Every system user must be able to proof his eligibility status by presenting a company ID card or similar paperwork upon check-in at the hotel. If a user fails to do so, the hotel has the right to refuse the guest. User Registration User registration is mandatory for getting access to the system and includes the specification of which eligibility group / company, a user claims to belong to. Throughout the system s introductory phase, users may join the system on a free trial basis in order to reach a sufficient market penetration fast. Future system access is envisioned to carry a small annual registration fee, which automatically eliminates the potential of an increase in system misuse. User Eligibility Definitions There are 4 different categories of eligibility groups: 1. Active Airline Employees* 2. IATA Travel Agents* 3. Airline Retirees & Airline Employee Family Members** 4. Staff Of Authorized (Travel Industry Related) Companies** * Eligibility groups 1 +2 are mandatory groups for participating hotels. The hotel must accept requests from either one of both groups. ** Groups 3+4 are "optional" groups for hotels to accept and have been implemented to allow businesses to drastically increase the potential customer volume if desired. Hotels can allow or deny eligibility rights to both or either one individually, resulting in the fact that, for example, a retired airline employee will only be able to see offers from hotels, who granted eligibility rights to group 3. Ticentral.com Connect Info Kit Page: 3 of 12

5 Key Benefits For Hotels Free Usage There are no costs involved in participating on ticentral.com. Fees only apply for generated normal rate bookings, the acceptance of which, however, is voluntary for hotels. Risk Free Handling Due to the request / confirmation functionality of the module, account maintenance accuracy is non-critical. Despite the fact that, of course, account maintenance should always be done carefully, the system does not leave room for eventual disasters happening, such as receiving many bookings due to a wrong account update. The "worst thing" possible to happen is to receive a booking request including wrong forecasts and/or rates. New Direct Distribution Channel No Intermediate Agencies Hotels prefer to generate bookings themselves without the need to go through intermediate agencies or similar services. Ticentral.com enables hotels to directly sell industry rates to the end customer and allows hotels to explore a totally new direct distribution channel. Outsourcing Effect Manpower & Cost Minimization Supposing accurate forecast settings, the travel industry world will check on ticentral.com whether they can get discounts or not instead of keeping your reservation center busy by phone, fax, or inquiries. This way, you will manage your travel industry handling in the background, receiving requests only when you need them. No Room Inventory Maintenance Hotels are only required to store two rate sets on the system, after which the hotel only needs to change / update their forecast status. There is no need to struggle with yet another room inventory update. Short-Term / Real-Time Focus While allowing long term advance booking generation, the system s focus clearly consists of short-term publishing of availability forecasts due to the nature of changing industry rate availability. Hotels are enabled to even publish an availability forecast at 5pm for the same evening! Data Security Option In times of Lowest Rate Guarantees and corporate agreements, publishing industry rates on the internet might cause problems for hotels. Ticentral.com has developed an increased security setting helping hotels to stay out of trouble. Ticentral.com Connect Info Kit Page: 4 of 12

6 Data Security Protection Against Lowest Rate Guarantees Problems Ticentral.com offers an increased security level setting for hotels / hotel chains concerned about publishing travel trade rates on the internet due to announced Lowest Rates Guarantees or special corporate rate agreements with partner companies. The desired security level can be adjusted throughout system registration and can be changed afterwards if needed. The system s data security theory is based on two factors / questions: 1. Can system visitors freely access rate information or do they have to pay for retrieving rate info? Throughout system launch it is essential to offer system users free system access in order to rapidly reach the state of satisfying participating hotels and achieving a thorough global market penetration fast. Free system access is offered in form of a 6 months free trial with the option to upgrade their accounts for unrestricted access. Hotels selecting a high security level will not be accessible to users on a free trial. 2. Are only eligible users accessing the system? Due to the nature of public websites, it cannot be ruled out 100% that non-eligible users are registering on the system for a free trial. Logically, it must be assumed that the volume of accidental or intentional eligibility misuse drastically differs between users on a free trial and users who have paid a registration fee. Hotels with a high security level are not accessible to users on a free trial, resulting in a minimization of eventual eligibility misuse. Ticentral.com Connect Info Kit Page: 5 of 12

7 Hotel Registration Requirements Access the system with a windows version of Microsoft's Internet Explorer Web Browser Version 6.0 or higher. In addition, security settings have to allow the use of JavaScript. Preparations Both, Connect and ebook signup requires a business and general discount description. Have both ready to copy / paste before starting registration! Business Description Should feature info about location, distances to attractions, business amenities and everything else of interest for potential customers. Do not include or website addresses! Max Length: 2000 Characters! Discount Description Inform users about your travel industry offers year-round, special promotions and everything else important to know for travel industry employees! Max. Length: 1000 Characters. Easy Online Registration Sequence Registering a hotel for the CONNECT Module can be done fast and easy. The online signup requires the input of basic hotel and contact information, along with defining the appropriate location your hotel should be found at in user searches. To finish off the signup, the hotel can define default rates and select various account settings, such as the desired security level or granted eligibility rights! Upon account release, only Marginal initial account maintenance is required to be performed before the registration process if finalized. More information about initial account maintenance can be located in the business knowledge base at Ticentral.com Connect Info Kit Page: 6 of 12

8 Forecast Publishing Discount Availability Forecasts The Smart Global Solution By publishing three different non-binding travel industry discount availability forecasts, hotels can indicate the following situations: 1. Discounts are most likely available [Green] 2. Only normal rates are most likely available [Orange] 3. The hotel is completely sold out / closed [Red] Based on the stored forecast settings, the system is allowing or denying the option to system users to send booking requests t the hotel. Requests can consist of discount rate days, normal rate days, or any combination of either one. Requests for periods containing sold out days are not allowed. Upon reception, the hotel can deny or confirm the request with only a mouse click. If confirmed, a non-guaranteed booking is generated. Forecast Center Displayed immediately after login, the forecast center presents the hotel with all essential functions for easily publishing forecast updates within seconds. Ticentral.com Connect Info Kit Page: 7 of 12

9 Forecast Publishing Monthly Info & Update View All necessary information in one overview. Use your monthly calendar to verify your inputs, review rate settings, and to perform easy updates. Ticentral.com Connect Info Kit Page: 8 of 12

10 Forecast Publishing Year Info & Update View All necessary information in one overview. Use your yearly calendar to verify your inputs, review rate settings, and to perform easy updates. Ticentral.com Connect Info Kit Page: 9 of 12

11 Request Handling Request Notification There is no need for the hotel to constantly monitor the system for eventual activity. If a request is sent, the hotel receives an notification to check the system. Hotel InBox The hotel s InBox lists all active requests received from system users and displays the most important facts such as: Desired Arrival & Departure Date User Rating Total potential value of booking Time left to respond Viewing Details of a Request By clicking on a request, the hotel can view all necessary details and easily make a decision on whether to accept or to refuse it. Confirming Requests When confirming a request, the hotel has generated a non-guaranteed booking, which assures the room to the guest only until a certain time.. usually 6PM. If the guest does not arrive, the hotel can sell the room to other potential guests. Booking Policies The hotel should only confirm bookings if it is absolutely sure that it will not be able to sell out on given dates. Booking policies assure the guest a penalty free reservation for the case of cancellation and/or no show. This risk-free user policy is the key foundation for system success, as the majority of travel industry employees are traveling on space available only (standby) tickets. The hotel must understand this fact in order to operate a successful and stress-free CONNECT account on ticentral.com. Ticentral.com Connect Info Kit Page: 10 of 12

12 ebook / Distribution Free ebook Inclusion All hotels operating a CONNECT account are automatically included in the ticentral.com ebook, a monthly electronic magazine, which is published worldwide via download and through direct distribution to relevant locations such as airline offices or travel agencies. ebook Information The ebook is meant to be an essential supplement for system users assisting them to get more information about hotels in general and to become aware of advance forecast settings. Users can visit the hotel s website and/or send an to the hotel via the ebook. Both options can be traced back by participating businesses in the sense of receiving a measurable feedback from the ebook. For CONNECT hotels, the ebook displays a 12 months forecast preview. Mobile Distribution Channels Based on the already existing ebook technology, more mobile distribution services, such as WAP access, SMS sercie and a PDA system version are envisioned to be implemented in the near future. Links / Downloads Detailed CONNECT Setup Guide Assists you through the online registration process Detailed System Fact Sheet More information & answers for hotel manager Business Knowledge Base Constantly growing information source for participating businesses ticentral.com Gluckstrase 27, Frankfurt am Main, Germany Phone: , Fax: info@ticentral.com Public Access: Hotel Access & Free Signup: Contact Ticentral.com Connect Info Kit Page: 11 of 12